UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has expressed dissatisfaction with the current Brexit agreement, stating that it does not sufficiently benefit Britain’s interests. He argued that the departure from the European Union has negatively impacted the UK’s economy and complicated efforts to manage irregular migration. Despite these concerns, Burnham ruled out any major changes to the UK’s relationship with the EU during the current parliamentary term.
Burnham highlighted that the Brexit outcome delivered a harder separation than what was promised during the 2016 referendum campaign, failing to achieve expected benefits, particularly in economic performance and immigration control. While Burnham expressed a personal hope for the UK to rejoin the EU in his lifetime, he emphasized that any decision should reflect the will of the British public and is not advocating for EU membership during the current term.
On immigration, Burnham noted that Brexit has made it more challenging to return individuals who enter the UK irregularly. He voiced support for stricter settlement rules for foreign workers, advocating that permanent residency should be earned rather than automatically granted.
The upcoming UK-EU summit on November 20 presents an opportunity, according to Burnham, to negotiate agreements that could aid British food manufacturers and other businesses affected by trade barriers resulting from Brexit.
Burnham’s comments come amid internal government pressures regarding its stance on Europe. Some Labour representatives, particularly in Brexit-supporting constituencies, have expressed concerns that revisiting the Brexit debate could open political opportunities for rival parties.
Reaffirming the government’s position, Burnham stated there would be no rerun of the Brexit referendum, underscoring that the future relationship with the EU should be determined by voters. He also ruled out an early general election and called for the upcoming budget to provide greater economic stability for households and businesses.